[For Seniors] Day-service activities also recommended! Craft ideas for November
November, when autumn deepens and you can feel the chill in the air.
For many older adults, it’s a season when they spend less time outdoors going for walks.
So this time, we’re introducing craft activities with the theme of “11” that can be done indoors.
We’ve prepared projects featuring seasonal foods and flowers that are at their best in November.
They can be enjoyed as decorations on facility walls or taken home as interior decor.
There are also projects that can be used to play games after they’re made.
By all means, try the games together with the older adults.
Some older adults may find it difficult to sense the passage of time or the seasons.
Through November-themed crafts, let’s help them savor the season.
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[For Seniors] Day-service recreation also recommended! Craft ideas for November (11–20)
Origami ‘Persimmon’
When it comes to familiar autumn flavors that ripen in the garden, persimmons come to mind! How about folding a persimmon using double-sided origami paper? It’s great for dexterity training, so it’s also recommended as an autumn recreation activity for seniors.
We’ll use double-sided paper that has light green and orange on one sheet, but if you don’t have it, you can substitute by gluing together two sheets of origami paper in different colors.
Seniors who played with origami in the past might enjoy it while reminiscing about old times.
Making lots of them to decorate the walls would look lovely, too!
Insects made only of origami
Let’s recreate a bagworm moth larva, wrapped in dead leaves and twigs as if wearing clothes, using origami.
The key point is to layer different colored papers firmly to create a colorful, three-dimensional look.
Connect two halves of origami paper in different colors, fold them in half so the colored side faces outward, and make fine slits.
Then wrap the strip around a stick-shaped core in staggered layers, spread it out, and attach facial features and other parts to finish.
Encourage focused finger work through the precision of folds and cuts, and by wrapping the paper snugly around the core.
Pastel Art of Autumn Leaves
Pastel art, which lets you enjoy a soft, gentle atmosphere, is sure to shine in autumn projects too! How about creating pastel pieces with autumn leaves as the motif? Since pastels are basically blended with your fingers, you don’t need special tools like brushes.
It’s an easy way to enjoy art, so it’s also recommended for craft activities in day service programs.
It’s convenient to prepare leaf-shaped stencils in advance—try making autumn-themed shapes like maple and ginkgo.
You can spread pastel on the background, place the stencil, and use an eraser to lift out the silhouette, or you can color directly with your fingers over the stencil.
It’s perfect for fine-motor training for seniors, so give it a try!
origami chestnut burr
Let’s recreate chestnuts that bear fruit in the deepening autumn—complete with their spiky burrs—using origami.
Fold an origami sheet, cut it into thin strips, then cut those strips into triangles to make individual spikes and glue them onto a circular base.
Shape the spiked base by pressing down the center so it forms a shallow nest that can hold objects; that completes the burr.
For the chestnut itself, cover a crumpled ball of paper with two shades of brown origami paper.
Make firm wrinkles in the paper to create an uneven, three-dimensional texture—that’s the key to making it look realistic.
With fine cuts and paper-crumpling motions, it’s a craft where fingertip dexterity really matters, isn’t it?
Origami: Ginkgo
Let’s try making a ginkgo leaf with origami.
It’s perfect for the autumn season when the foliage is beautiful.
To make it, first prepare a bright yellow sheet of origami paper, fold it several times, and trace a template using a pen or pencil.
Cut along the template with scissors, make a few slits, and open it up to reveal an adorable, lifelike ginkgo leaf.
Using your hands and fingertips also gives your brain a nice workout.
You can stick it on letters, or make lots of them to decorate walls—they’ll look wonderful.
Cyclamen wall decoration
Cyclamen, which bloom during the chilly November–December season, are perfect for a November craft.
Not only do their flame-like, upward-facing blossoms captivate, but their vivid colors—red, white, pink, and purple—are also beautiful and a delight to the eye.
By making not just the petals but also the sepals, stems, and leaves, you can achieve a realistic look that’s instantly striking and eye-catching.
The steps don’t involve any complicated folds, but because there’s some delicate cutting and gluing, it’s a project you’ll want to tackle with focus and care.
[For Seniors] Day service recreation also recommended! November craft ideas (21–30)
dragonfly ornament
When it comes to autumn scenery, many people probably imagine a scene at dusk with dragonflies darting about.
This activity shows you how to make dragonflies—an essential element of that autumn landscape—using disposable chopsticks and washi origami.
First, wrap hemp twine around a cut piece of chopstick to create the dragonfly’s body.
Next, attach coiled twine pieces as the eyes, and form a loop from origami paper; shape it and attach it in the position of the wings to complete the whole piece.
Choose your colors and shapes to bring out your own originality.